A computer programming language has a predefined syntax that allows programmers to to express logical statements of in a universal manner. In any computer program, there is an intimate link between the universal and predetermined nature of a computer language in which the logical statements of the computer program are encoded, and the arbitrary semantic constructs from a particular human language, such as English, French, German etc., in which those statements are expressed. For example comments, and the names of variables and functions, are often derived from the programmer's first natural language, or “native tongue”.
Thus, while a computer program may rely upon a universally understood grammar, the semantic content of that computer program may in many cases be difficult to comprehend for programmers who do not share the author's natural language.
As an example, consider a team of German programmers which has produced a large software project. The computer code is commented using commentary in the German language, with which all of the German programmers are familiar. Accordingly, each of the German programmers can readily understand each other's work and can contribute to their peers' work as informed observers. The software project is deployed in many countries and in, for example, Canada, a major rewrite of the project is required to comply with local regulations.
As the Canadian programmers understand one or both of English and French, but rarely German, the Canadian programmers are at a distinct disadvantage. While the grammar of the language is entirely familiar, and the meaning of the code can be deduced from logical statements and their structural context, the semantic context upon which a full understanding so heavily relies is largely indecipherable to the Canadian programmers.
With the advent of reliable global data communications, computer software projects are simultaneously conducted in various geographical locations using programmers that have different competencies in different natural languages. Similarly, computer code originating in one country is commonly deployed in many other countries, as in the hypothetical example given above.
Accordingly, in view of the above observations, a need clearly exists for an improved manner of allowing the semantic content of computer programs to be accessible to those who do not understand the natural language from which this semantic content derives.